Hijack

Definition

The hijack (HJ) is the seat two positions to the right of the dealer button, directly to the right of the cutoff. It sits in the middle of the table's positional spectrum — not as early as under the gun, but not as late as the cutoff or button. The nickname "hijack" comes from the idea that players in this seat started "hijacking" the button's positional advantage by opening more hands as full-ring games became better understood.

Example

You're in the hijack at a six-handed table. Everyone in front of you has folded. You look down at A♠ J♣ — a solid hand. With only the cutoff, button, and blinds left to act, you decide to raise. The cutoff and button both fold. One of the blinds calls, and you head to the flop with position on them (you'll act after the blind on every street). You have a hand strong enough to play, a manageable number of opponents, and decent-but-not-perfect position. That's the hijack in a nutshell.

Why It Matters

The hijack is the first seat where many experienced players start to "open up" their range — meaning they play more hand types than they would from early positions. If you're new to poker and trying to learn which hands to play from which seats, think of it this way: from under the gun, play only your strongest hands; from the hijack, you can add a few more good-but-not-great hands; from the cutoff and button, you can add even more. The hijack is a good checkpoint position to understand as you learn how position shapes your hand selection.